Copyholder



- F. W. STORCK COPYHOLDER Filed 001:. 29, 1929 July 11, 1933.

2 Sheets-Sheet I I u flldl r hul L lf l u H qln l rl INVENTOR.

BY- "w x 7 2 '7.

ATTORNEY.

F. W. STORCK July 11, 1933.

GOPYHOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 29, 1929 A TTORNEY.

Patented July 11, 193 3 UNITED STATES) PATENT oFFicE FREDERICK W. STORCK, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB; TO STANDARD MAILENG Tl'l'AGEIINES CGMPAIIY, OF EVERETT, MASSAGHUSETTS,'A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS COPYHOLDERV Application filed October 29, 1929. Serial No. 403,294.

My invention relates to copy-holders of the kind commonly employed to support a stenographers notebook, or typewritten or printed sheet of matter to be copied by a tvpist, and provided with means for mov ng the part supportingthe matter to be copied, so that its position with respect to a line indicating member may be shifted to assist the operator in accurately following the matter to be transcribed or copied as the work progresses.

It has been the object of my invention to provide a simple and convenient apparatus which may be easily operated and I have sought to accomplish thefurther and special objects of providing means for asily and accurately shifting the position of the work plate, or member holding the matter to be transcribed or copied, so that it may be moved with reference to the line indicator a distance equal to any predetermined number of spaces between lines of the copy, also simple and efficient means for conveniently releasing the work plate so that it may drop by gravity with continuous movement from an elevated position to a lowered position.

It has been my further special object to provide means for holding the matter to be copied that its fixed position with respect to the work plate may be easily and quickly adjusted, and to grip it with equal pressure upon each side. These and other objects and advantages of my improved.

Fig. 2 a section on line 2*2of Fig. 1 showing the operating mechanism for line spacing.

F 3 is a section on line 3- 3 of ig. 1

showing); the pagodiolding device forholdiug theturnedover pages of ano ebook, and the clamping device for bold to be copied.

point, and also showing the method of mounting therelease lever and the, spring tension devicefor the same.

Referring now morespeeifically to the drawings, 1 is the work plate consisting of a sheet metal plate. A base 2 is provided with upwardly extending guide bars 3 fixed therein, and the work plate 1 has rolled sides 4 arranged to partly embrace the guide b 3 so that the work plate 1 may slide verti cally up and down on said guide bars 3. The base 2 is preferably made of sheet meta or other suitable material, and has project ing forwardly and rearwardly at eachend lugs 5within holes in which are mounted feet 6 made of rubber or other suitable material.

A stationary plate 7 is'fixedly attached at each end to the guide'bars 3. the ends of the stationary plate 7 being rolled over so asto embrace tightly an adjacent guide bar 3.

As the rolledsides 4- of the work plate 1 very loosely and'only partially embrace the guide'bar-s3 they may pass over the'ends of the stationary plate 7 as the work plate is moved up or down on the guide bars 3. (See Fig. 5.) I r In order that the Work plate 1 may slide quietly andfwit-hout loose side-play upon the guide bars 3' bushings 8 of felt, rubber or other soft material are mounted on they upper ends of the guide bars 3 and similar bushings 9 are mounted in the lower parts i- An'annular rubber stop 10, abutting against the bas'e'Q, is mounted on the bottomof one of the rolled sides at of the work plate V of the guide bars 3 so as to cushion the fall of the work plate 1. I

To-elevate-or lower the work plate 1 the 19 14 to the shaft 15.

following described mechanism is provided: A block 11 is secured to the upper face of the base 2 by means of screws 12. (Fig. 2.) This block 11 has upwardly extending lugs 13 and 14 within which is journaled the rotatable shaft 15 upon which is fast mount ed, between the lugs 13 and 14, a cylindrical drum 16. The block 11 is provided with a bore 17 which extends upwardly in the lug Within this bore 17 is a coil spring 18 the lower end of which is supported by a screw-plug 19 while the upper end bears against the rotatable shaft 15, thereby affording a brake for said shaft 15, the frictional bearing of which brake may be adjusted by turning the screwplug 19.

The shaft 15 is provided with an annular boss 20 to the outer face of which is attached an index wheel or disc 21 having a plurality of equally spaced round holes 22 arranged symmetrically about its center.- A stop-ball 23 of size such that it will partly enter any of the holes 22 is slidably mounted in a cylindrical bore 24 in the block 11 and is yieldably pressed toward and against the index wheel 21 by a coil spring 25 pocket-ed in the bore 24 behind the stop-ball 23.

The stop-ball 23 may be thrown out of e gagement with the index wheel 21 by ballrelease lever 26 which normally rests on the periphery of the stop-ball 23 in an eccentric position. This lever 26 is fast mounted at one end on a shaft 27 (Fig. 6) journaled in the lugs 13 and 14. A collar 28 is attached to the shaft 27 by means of the screw 29, and a coil spring 30 surrounding the shaft 27 and abutting at one end against the collar 28 and at the other end against the lug 14 slides theshaft 27 forward so that a firm frictional engagement is maintained between the collar 28 and the lug 13. The purpose index wheel 21 is turned, thereby causing a chattering noise.

In a hole 31 passing diametrically through the drum 16 and the shaft 15 is attached one end of a flexible cord 32. The ends of the hole 31 are enlarged. One end is enlarged so that it may receive the knotted end 33 of the cord 32, and the other end is enlarged so as to permit the partial rotation of the drum 16 before the cord 32 gets winding engagement with the surfaceof the drum 16 for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

The cord 32 passes around, a pulley 34, rotatably mounted in pulley block 35 which is attached to the top of base 2 by screws 36, and thence upwardly andaround the pulley 37 which is secured to a plate 38 at- Thence the cord extends'downward and its extremity is attached to a post 39 on the back of the work plate 1.

The line indicating mechanism is arranged and mounted as follows:

Extending backwardly from the base of the stationary plate 7 on each end thereof and at right angles thereto is an integral bracket plate 40 (Fig. the outer end of which is bent to form a straight channel or groove to receive the end of a bent wire bracket 41 which passes in front of the work plate 1. Each end of the bent wire bracket 41 is retained in its groove in its respective bracket plate 40 by means of a spring clamping plate 42 which is attached by screws 43 to a bracket plate 40, this affording constant firm frictional, yet yielding resistance to the swinging movement of the wire bracket 41. The line indicator 44 has its lower edge rolled to embrace closely that part of the wire bracket 41 which lies opposite the front of the work plate 1, which part of the wire bracket 41 is slightly bent to afford a firm yet resilient frictional contact with the rolled edge. of the line indicator 44.

As the mountings of the wire bracket 41 and the line indicator 44 permit the movement of these parts against substantial frictional spring resistance in the manner above described, the position of the line indicator may be variously adjusted, either by swinging the bracket 41 or by swinging the line indicator or by moving both of these members, and wear will be compensated by the spring elements.

A clamp rod 45 is mounted upon the back of the top part of the work plate 1 by supporting it on bracket plates 46 near each side of the work plate 1 and attached thereto. These bracket plates 46 are bent along their outer ends to form channels to receive the clamp rod 45 which is retained in each of the bracket plates 46 by means of a clamping plate 47 attached by screws 43 and nuts 4% to the bracket plates 46. As may be observed by the broken lines in Fig. 1 a part of the clamp rod 45 adjacent the central part/of the back of the work plate 1 is bent to form an eccentric part upon which an upward pull is always exerted by means of be attached coil springs 49 the upper ends of which are secured to the lower rolled edge of a stiffening plate 50 attached to the.

extreme top part of the work plate 1. The upper edge of the plate 1 is rolled over to embrace the rolled-over upper edgeof the stiffening plate 50. (Fig. The ends of the clamp rod 45 are bent forwardly, and then inwardly, at right angles so as nearly to meet and are joined by ametal tube 51 (Fig. 4) the inside diameter of which is slightly larger than the diameter of the clamp rod 45. Two similar tubular rubber grips 52 are mounted on the clamp rod 45 apart of the interior diameter of each. be-

ingzenlarged to receive an end of the tube 51. These rubber grips 52 arespaced sufiiciently 'far apart to permit an ordinary stenographeus notebook, such as is commonly in use, to be placed between them without engaging either of them. Surrounding the tube 51 substantially midway between the rubber grips 52 is a third tubular rubber grip 53, the diameter of which is slightly less than the diameter of a rubber grip 52. Th'eeccentric arrangement of the back portion of the clamp bar 45 with reference to its axis of rotation is such-that the pull of springs 49 will yieldably retain the rubber rips 52 in contact with the top part of the face of work plate 1 when they are in the elevated position shown in Fig. 3, but if they are moved away from the work plate 1 to the maximum extent by swinging the ends of the clamp bar 45 downward the eccentric pull of the springs 49 will then cause acontinued downward movement of the part of the clamp bar bearing the rubber grips 52 which movement is promptly checked by the engagement of the eccentric part of the clamp bar 45 with the bent end 5st of the stop plate 55 which is attached to the back of the work plate 1. This will bring about a set open position of the clamping means. V

A turned page holder 56 for retaining the turned-over pages of a notebook supported across the top ot' the work plate 1, with its covers folded back so that one lies on the face of said work plate and the other on the back thereof, is supported on a wire frame 57 wl1ieh: is bent-to a rectangular S shape, the parallelparts of the lower loop of which may slide within and be embraced by the upper rolled-over edges of the plate 1. The top edge of the page holder 56 is rolled over to embrace a coil spring 58. 'Collars 59 fast on the'top part ofthe wire frame 57 which passes through said coil spring 58, serve to retain the page ylL.

holder 56 from displacement,and as one end of the coil spring 58 is attached to a co'l lar 59 and the other end bears against the back oi 1e page holder 56, the page holder against the back part of theto'p edge of the work plate 1.

To operate the winding drum 16and con-1 5G is thus yieldably forced towardand apparatus may be conveniently packed for to the open position at the end'ofthe downward movement of its forward portion which movement is limited by the stop plate 55 and the book is set across the top of the work plate 1 in a central position. The central rubbergrip 53 will then engage and hold the'top of the book when the front of the clamp bar 45 is swung upward The line indicator 4A is then adjusted to bear against the desired position on the page to be transcribed or copied, so as to direct the vision of the operator. As the work of transcription or copying progresses so that more notes or copy matter'must be brought to View above the top of the line indicator 44., the notebook isv elevated from time to time by one or more stages of elevation, as may be desired, by turning the hand wheel 61 so as to wind'up the elevating cord 32 on the druml6. The diameter of the drum is such that, when the cor-cl is disposed tangentially to it, an extent of rotation of the drum determined bythe rotation of thoindex wheel a distance suflicient to cause the ball stop 23 to leave one hole 22 and enter the next will wind up or unwind the cord' work plate is at its lowermost position, their the winding influence of the drum, upon its rotation, is diminished. Hence, in order to adjust the apparatus in such a manner that an indicated amount of rotation may result in moving up, the work plate to an extent equal to one space'between lines, I have enlarged'that end of the hole in the drum from which the cord leads directly toward the pulley'34 when the work plate'is at its lowermost position, so as to somewhat delay the contact of the cord with the periphery of the drum upon its rotation. The extent of the enlargement of this hole is such that the drum must be rotated to'the extent registered by three spaces of the index wheel in order to elevate the work plate precisely onespace and bring the cord to a position tangential to the drum. Further elevation may then be obtained without loss of proper registration with the lines on the, copy, If a notebook. is mounted on the work 5 which swings to permit the passage of the page as it is engaged by one hand of the operator and swung over the top of the work plate and tucked beneath the page holder. The page holder may be entirely removed from the device by sliding its wire frame 57 out of its engagement with the rolled edges of the plate 50.

When page copy is mounted on the worl plate, its upper edge will be retained by the rubber grips 52 which alone contact with it. Should the page, when first inserted, not have the proper vertical alignment, the position of one side of it may be adjusted vertically by releasing the grip 52 on that side. This is readily accomplished by a slight pressure of the finger of the operator on adjacent upper corner of the clamp rod 45. This will have the eifect of slightly moving that end of the clamp rod which is permitted a slight movement in the tube 51 without disturbing the other end of the clamp rod. Thus, one side of the copy sheet is freed and its position may be adjusted beforeits grip 52 is allowed to swing back into operative contact therewith. The normal operative pressure of each one of the side grips 52 is independent and uninfluenced by any slight relative distortion of thatend of the clamp rod l5 upon which the other of the grips 52 is mounted, thus ensuring the proper engagement of each with the page to be held in position.

Should the operator desire to drop the work plate rapidly to its lowermost position, this may be accomplished by depressing a lever 26, so as to force the ball stop 23 back- Cal ward out of engagement with the index wheel, thereby permitting the elevating cord to unwind as its tension rot-ates the drum 16 without the checking influence of the ball stop.

It is to be noted that the work plate] may be either elevated or lowered to a predetermined extend by turning the hand wheel in the appropriate direction and the extent of rotation of the hand wheel required to effect the desired movement of the work plate may readily be felt by the hand of the operator as the initial resistance to the retirement of the ball stop from a hole 22 is encountered in the process of rotating the index wheel.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character specified the combination of a supporting frame, a work plate movable vertically on said frame, a rotatably mounted drum, a flexible means connecting said drum and said work plate arranged to elevate said work plate upon the rotation of said drum, means connected to said drum for manually rotating the same in either direction, and a yieldable stop means operatively connected with said drum and adapted to check the rotation of said drum while under the gravitalinfluence of said work plate upon said flexible means yet capable of yielding readily to rotative force in eitherdirection applied by the operator upon said means for manually rotating said drum.

2. In a device of the character specified the combination of a supporting frame, a work plate movable vertically on said frame, a rotatably mounted drum, a flexible means connecting said drum and said work plate arranged to elevate said work plate upon the rotation of said drum, means connected to said drum for manually rotating the same in either direction, an index wheel so mounted as to rotate with said drum, said index wheel being provided with equally spaced contact means and a yieldable stop member adapted to engage successively said equally spaced contact means upon the rotation of said index wheel and to check the rotation of said wheel and drum, at any point of contact engagement, while said drum is under the gravital influence of said work plate upon said flexible means, yet capable of yielding readily to rotative force, in either direction, applied by the operator upon said means for manually rotating said drum.

3. In a device of the character specified the combination of a supporting frame, a work plate movable vertically on said frame, a rotatably mounted drum, a flexible means connecting said drum and said work plate arranged to elevate said work plate upon the rotation of said drum, means connected to said drum for manually rotating the same in either direction, an index wheel so mounted as to rotate with said drum, said index wheel being provided with equally spaced contact means, a yieldable stop member adapted to engage successively said equally spaced contact means upon the rotation of said index wheel'and to check'the rotation of said wheel and drum, at any point of contact engagement, while said drum is under the gravital influence of said work plate upon said flexible means, yet capable of yielding readily to rotative force, in either direction, applied by the operator upon said means for manually rotating said drum and manually-operated means for moving saidyieldable stop member out of operative position. 1

4:. In a device of the character specified the combination of a supporting frame, a work plate movable vertically on said frame, a drum,a rotatably mounted shaft whereon said drum is fixedly mounted, a flexible means connecting said drum and said work plate arranged to elevate said work plate upon the rotation of said drum, means connected to said shaft for manually rotating said shaft and drum in either direction, an.

" a drum a rotatably mounted shaft whereon said drum is fixedly mounted, a flexible means connecting sald drum and said Work plate arrangedto elevate said work plate upon the rotation of said drum, means connected to said shaft for manually rotating said shaft and drum in either direction, an index wheel fixedly mounted on said shaft and provided With a row of equally spaced holes symmetrically located with respect to the center of said Wheel, a movably mounted stop-ball adapted partly to enter each of said holes successively upon the rotation of said index Wheel, a spring arranged yieldably to thrust said ball-stop toward and against said index Wheel and a ball-release lever adapted to force said ball out of engagement With said index Wheel.

FREDERIoK W. sToRoK. 

